diff --git a/navalplanner-business/src/main/java/org/navalplanner/business/orders/entities/HoursGroup.java b/navalplanner-business/src/main/java/org/navalplanner/business/orders/entities/HoursGroup.java
index bb28471bf..88476b9b7 100644
--- a/navalplanner-business/src/main/java/org/navalplanner/business/orders/entities/HoursGroup.java
+++ b/navalplanner-business/src/main/java/org/navalplanner/business/orders/entities/HoursGroup.java
@@ -157,7 +157,8 @@ public class HoursGroup extends BaseEntity implements Cloneable,
 
     private HoursGroup(OrderLine parentOrderLine) {
         this.parentOrderLine = parentOrderLine;
-        this.code = parentOrderLine.getCode();
+        String code = parentOrderLine.getCode();
+        this.code = code != null ? code : "";
         this.setOrderLineTemplate(null);
     }
 
diff --git a/navalplanner-business/src/main/java/org/navalplanner/business/orders/entities/OrderLine.java b/navalplanner-business/src/main/java/org/navalplanner/business/orders/entities/OrderLine.java
index 189f99251..272f8b05d 100644
--- a/navalplanner-business/src/main/java/org/navalplanner/business/orders/entities/OrderLine.java
+++ b/navalplanner-business/src/main/java/org/navalplanner/business/orders/entities/OrderLine.java
@@ -339,7 +339,8 @@ public class OrderLine extends OrderElement {
         Order order = getOrder();
         if ((order != null) && (!order.isCodeAutogenerated())) {
             for (HoursGroup hoursGroup : getHoursGroups()) {
-                if (hoursGroup.getCode() == null) {
+                if ((hoursGroup.getCode() == null)
+                        || (hoursGroup.getCode().isEmpty())) {
                     hoursGroup.setCode(code);
                 }
             }